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Bourjos sits as Matheny continues to shuffle lineup

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Bourjos' running catch 0:16

5/5/14: Peter Bourjos charges out in center field, reaching up to make a nice catch on a liner hit by Freddie Freeman

By Jenifer Langosch
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MLB.com |

ATLANTA -- Peter Bourjos' two-hit game on Monday did not earn him the start a day later, though Cardinals manager Mike Matheny indicated that Bourjos would be back in center field against Braves left-hander Mike Minor in Wednesday's series finale.

Matheny cited a need to keep Jon Jay involved when asked about his center-field decision, a topic that has become a near daily one while a three-man center-field timeshare continues. Jay has drawn the majority of starts recently against right-handed pitchers.

"We've had different guys out there," Matheny said. "That's not necessarily our goal. That's not how we want to do it. We'd love to have a lineup that we write in, and 162 games later, we're right where we want to be. But we've been struggling to figure it out.

"Our team is better when everybody is clicking. We have to get them going. We have to give them a chance."

Matheny also made a change at second base on Tuesday, this one based singularly on matchup. Mark Ellis, 1-for-14 in his career against Braves starter Gavin Floyd, sat in favor of Daniel Descalso, who had two hits in three career at-bats against the Atlanta righty.

The start was Descalso's sixth this season, and first since April 27. The lineup was the 29th different one used by the Cardinals in 34 games.

"We're going to need all these guys," Matheny said. "I hate saying it over and over again, but you hate going too long without giving them an opportunity to get in there more consistently than just one at-bat."